From Shanghai, Tokyo Rose screeched
out her broadcast as the 23rd Fighter Group prepared to assume the mantle
of General Chennault’s American Volunteer Group, “Greetings,
you American bandits of the Flying Tigers, especially you young American
kids of the USAAF who have come to take their place. The invincible Japanese
Air Force will utterly destroy you on your first day of aviation - the
fourth of July – your Independence Day!” On hearing the propaganda
Chennault vowed “We will not wait until the 4th. We’ll hit
them on the 3rd!”
And that is precisely what the young American kids did.
Robert Taylor has painted a superb picture reconstructing an action fought
on August 5th, 1944, over the Hsiang Chiang river in southern China. Following
a successful attack on Japanese forces just north of Changsha, P-40 Warhawks
of the 75th and 16th Fighter Squadrons, 23rd F.G., are attacked by enemy
Nakajima fighters and a massive dog-fight has developed with aircraft
wheeling and turning in all directions.

Signed in pencil by the artist
Robert Taylor and five Aces from the Flying Tigers: Major John Alison,
Colonel ‘Tex’ Hill, Lt. Colonel Don Lopez, Colonel Ed Rector,
Brigadier General Wiltz Segura.

The AVG Folio Edition
As above but issued with three extra signatures and a matching numbered
copy of an emotive pencil drawing by Robert Taylor ‘Tigers On The
Prowl’, initialled by the artist, featuring P-40s of the original
AVG Flying Tigers.
The extra signatories; Colonel Charles Older, Flight Leader Dick Rossi,
Flight Leader Erik Shilling

350
AVG Folio Edition
35 AVG Folio Artist’s Proofs

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